Wash-tub



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. J. TORRANOE & F. A. WELLS.

WASH TUB. No. 888,089. Patented Aug. 21, 1888.

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(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2, F. J. TORRANOE & F. A. WELLS.

WASH TUB.

No. 388,089. Patented Aug. 21', 1888.

N. PEYERS. HMO-War, Wahingim D C.

(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 3.

F. J. TORRANOE & F. A. WELLS.

WASH TUB. No. 888,089. Patented Aug. 21, 1888.

HIIIIIIIIIIIIIHII u PETERS. Fhain-Lilhognpmr. Washington, 0.1:,

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

F. J. TORRANGE & P. A. WELLS.

WASH TUB.

No. 388,089. Patented Aug. 21, 1888.

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ATENT FRANCIS J. TORRANOE AND FRANK A. WELLS, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASH -TU B.

ESPECIPIC'ATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,089, dated August 21, 1888.

Application filed January 526, 1887.

To aZZ 1071,0112, it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANOIS J. TORRANOE and FRANK A. \VELLs,citizens of the United States, both residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylva nia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vash-Trays, which are set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide suitable means for framing in and supporting wash-trays of the character commonly known as stationary tubs when such tubs are made from earthenware or other like material, which cannot be conveniently drilled or bored to receive fastening bolts or screws, or which, if so sustained, would be liable to break at such points of fastening, and to accomplish this purpose without rendering the structure ungainly in appearance, and at the same time to render such connected series of tubs capable of removal from place to place as a whole without detaching the several tubs, and to render each tub stable by reason of having independent support when detached from the rest.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of three tubs connected in one system. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through such system of tubs. Fig. 3 is a plan of the supports of such tubs. Fig. at is a vertical section through the planes indicated by the lines XX XX on Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail showing a modified form of the clamping device to secure together the top frame and the tub. Fig. 6 is a detail section of two adjacent trays and the clamp. Fig. 7 represents a distorted position possible with the form of clamp shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail section of two adjacent tubs, shown in connection with the form of clamp designed to prevent distortion, illustrated in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 isa perspective of the clamp or anchor shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Fig. 10 is a perspective of the form of the clamp or anchor shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a vertical longitudinal section through a series of trays and their supports, representing our invention in a modified form in respect Serial No. 225,514. (No model.)

to certain details. Fig. 12 is a similar View with certain other modifications.

A A A A are the tubs, made from earthen" ware.

B represents the upper frame, which constitutes the margin or ledge about and between the tubs.

D D D are three-legged stools or stands of cast-iron, upon which the trays may separately rest. They are designed to be placed with two legs at the rear edge of each tub and to be of such dimensions that the third leg will coincide with the front edge, and will stand at the middle of the length of that front edge of the tub. The rear legs, D D, are therefore made with their rear face forming an angle of about sixty degrees with the connecting-bars D D which extend from said rearlegs to the front leg, D and with the bar D, which joins the rear legs, constitute a table. The front leg has at its upper end a lip, d, which projects upward and inclines forward to correspond with the forward and upward slope of the front face of the tubs, and the rear legs have similar lips or lugs, d d, projecting, however, vertically behind the tubs.

E E are long bolts which extend between the tubs, passing through the cross-bars B B of the upper frame, where said cross-bars overlap the adjacent edges of the trays or tubs and are secured below in the cross-anchors. Such anchors may be in either of two forms shown in the drawings, the first, which is illustrated in Fig. 2, being short bars or blocks F, preferably of wood, the second (shown in Figs. 8 and 10) being preferably, though not necessarily, metal bars F. In either case the anchors are pierced to receive the bolts E, which are provided with clamp-nuts c underneath the anchors, respectively. The purpose of these bolts and anchors is to cooperate with the frame B, and therewith to form a clamp which shall bind the adjacent tubs together in the manner illustrated, and shall also thereby secure said frame B in place upon the tubs. These bolts and anchors being located between each two consecutive tubs, and the upper frame, B, being continuous throughout the entire row or system of tubs, said bolts and bolt.

anchors, when clamped in place, as described,- bind firmly together all the tubs that are covered under the same frame.

In order further to secure particularly the end tubs of the row or system, anchors F. similar to the anchors F, may be provided, and similar bolts, E, passing down at the endof the end tubs and passing through the end bar of the frame 3 and joining it to said anchors F. It will be observed that when the nuts on these end bolts E are tightened, inasmuch as said bolts cannot be absolutely in contact with the end of the tubs, but a very short distance therefrom, the tendency will be to throw downward the end of the anchor, the corner of the tubs actingasafulcrum, over which the anchor will rock as a lever when drawn upward at the outer end by the action of the nut upon the To prevent this and to make the secure ment of all the parts to each other more reliable, a ledge, or lip, or lug, d, may be provided on the cross-bars of the stool, and upon such lip or lug the inner end of the anchor F may rest and bethereby prevented from falling, as its outer end is clamped by the bolt. This ef feet will result because of the fact that the weight of the tubs resting upon their supporting-stools is so great as to make the structure practically integral when at rest, and that weight is sufficient to resist any tendency which the clamping of the bolt in the manner described might have to lift the tub when the end of the anchor F rests upon and is supported by the lip cl of the stool.

As a preferable substitute for this last-described device, the bolt E at the end may be formed with a hook, e" at its lower end, which will engage directly under the end of the tub, and upon the'upturned end of such hook 6" maybe screwed a cap-nut, E, which may be adjusted to tighten the bolt and clamp the tub firmly between I the said cap and the upper frame. Said cap-nut is preferably provided with a broad flange, e, to bear against the bottom of the tub to avoid the danger of breaking the earthenware, as might result if the pressure were exerted upon a smaller surface.

If the firstdescribed structure-nam ely, that having the lip dis used,we prefer to form the stools D with such a lip on both of the bars D so that such stools may be used without selection, and interchangeably either for the end or for the intermediate tubs of the system.

The form of anchors F, shown in Figs. 8 and 10 is employed, preferably, to the simpler form consisting of a straight block, F, when used with trays made of earthenware. The anchor has the openings for bolts E, and large enough to allow it considerable freedom on said bolt, so that it may adapt itself in position to the two trays which it laps, so that if there is a slight difference in the height, as'will often be the case from the inequality of shrinkage in baking in the kiln, they may notwithstanding be both firmlyclamped. These washers may be perfectly flat, as shown in Fig. 9.

The advantage of the curved formof anchor shown in Figs. 8 and 10 over the flat form shown in Fig. 9 is that such washer or clamp will not be in danger of bearing only upon the corner of the higher tray, as might occur, as illustrated in Fig. 6, in which case the tightening of the nuts on the bolt would tend to bend both the bolt and the clamp into the shape and positionshown in Fig. 7 and make the clamp tend to crowd the tubs apart and eventually lose its grasp upon them.

When the clamp is of the form shown in Fig. l0,"i't is obvious that slight inequality will not prevent the upwardly-bent ends of the clamp from bearing securely against the bottom of the trays.

It is usually desirable that devices such as those to which this invention relates should be made somewhat ornamental in appearance; but inasmuch as they are necessarily used where there is liability to accumulate dirt in the cavities and crevices about the structure,

- it is desirable, also, that such ornament should be so constructed and located as to create the fewest possible crevices and cavities in which dirt may accumulate, and that such as are unavoidable should be made easily accessible in order to remove the dirt. For this reason the described stools are made perfectly plain, and with only the necessary ribs and angles for strength and to adapt them to the use described; but for the purpose of ornamentation we provide the plates G, which are made as ornamental as may be desired, being either stamped or cast, but in either case made much thinner than they could be if cast as part of the legs. They are conformed to the slope both of the forward legs and the forward side of the tubs, and adapted to be secured in any convenient manner as front caps or shields in front of the front legs in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. The advantage of having these ornaments separate from the legs is, first, that, as above suggested, they can then be made much thinner than when castintegral with the legs, and, second,the liability of break age of such ornaments is very much less when they are handled separately and after all the tubs are set up than if they are a part of the legs and have to be handled therewith while the heavy parts of the structure are being adjusted to position. Further, when they are as an integral part of the leg, any filth which may accumulate between them and the face of the tub cannot be easily removed, and consequently tends to make the device unclean, whereas, being detachable, when any filth aocumnlates behind them or in crevices between them at the tub, the screws which fasten them to the leg being withdrawn, the face of the tub and the leg may be cleaned with very slight trouble and the ornament replaced.

We claim-- 1. In combination with the wash-tray, the top frame resting upon its upper edge, and the bolts E,passed th rough the top frame and snitably stopped by a head above said frame, and terminating at the lower end in a hook which is integral with the bolt and which reaches underneath the tray, and a clamping-nut on such bolt, whereby the tray may be bound between the top frame and the hook end of the bolt, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination, the wash-trays successively adjacent, a continuous top frame overlapping their adjacent edges, clamping-anchors independent of the supports and of each other underlapping the lower adjacent edges of the trays, the clamping-bolts passing between the trays and connecting the top frame with the clamping-anchors, respectively, and provided with clamping-nuts, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination, substantially as hereinabove set forth, the wash-trays arranged successively adjacent, the threelegged stools arranged one underneath and adapted to support independently each tray, a continuous top frame overlapping the adjacent edges of the trays, the clamping-anchors lapping said trays underneath and extending between the said triangularframes,andtheclamping-bolts connecting the frame with the said anchors and provided with the clamping-nuts.

4. In combination with the wash-trays successively adjacent, top frame lapping over the adjacent edges, bolts passing through the top frame down between the trays, and the clamping-washers F having apertures for the bolts large enough to allow the latter lateral play thereof, and the clamping nuts below such washers, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with the trays successively adjacent, the top frame lapping over the adjacent edges, the bolts passing through the top frame between the trays, and the clamping-washers loosely fitted 011 the lower ends of the bolts, and which are bent upward near their ends, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with the wash-trays successively adjacent, a continuous top frame overlapping their adjacent edges and extending beyond theirmargius, respectively, at their opposite ends, clamping-anchors independent of the supports and of each other underlap ping the lower adjacent edges of the trays, the clamping-bolts between the trays connecting the top frame with the clamping-anchors, respectively, and provided with clamping-nuts, and the bolts E, passed through the top frame beyond said opposite ends of the trays and stopped by suitable head above the frame and terminating at the lower end in a hook which reaches underneath the tray, and a clamping-nut on such bolt to bind the tray between the top frame and the hook end of the bolt, whereby the end bolts, E, co-operate with the intermediate bolts to bind the whole length of the top frame closely upon all the trays, substantially as set forth.

7. In combination with the wash-trays successively adjacent, the separate stools upon which the trays respectively rest, having each their legs connected at the top by bars forming a supportingsurface for the trays, respect ively, the top frame continuous and overlapping the adjacent edges of the trays and proj ecting beyond their extreme edges, the clamping-anchors independent of the supportingstools and of each other underlapping the lower adjacent edges of the trays between the stools, the clamping-bolts between the trays connecting the top frame to the clamping-anchors and provided with suitable clamping-nuts, and the clamping-bolts E beyond the extreme ends of the trays passed through the projecting margin of the top frame and suitably stopped by head above the same, and having the lower end formed into a book which reaches underneath the tray,andaclamping-nut on each of said bolts to bind the tray between the top frame and the hooked end of the bolt, whereby the intermediate bolts and their anchors co-operate with the end bolts and their hooks to bind the top frame closely upon the top'of the trays throughout the whole length without extending a clamp across the bottom of the tray, where it rests upon the stool, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands, this 21st day of January, A. D. 1887, in the presence of two witnesses, at Allegheny, Pennsylvania.

FRANCIS J. TORRANCE. FRANK A. WELLS.

Witnesses:

- M. R. TORRANOE,

WM. K. GRAY. 

